Learning Action Partnership is looking for opportunities to support children victims of violence

Sofia, February 19, 2016

The third meeting of Learning Action Partnership took place on February 19, 2016 in Sofia. The initiative represents a working group on project of BFPA "The Art to Inform. A network for reducing vulnerability of children for sexual exploitation and abusive practices”. A team of professionals working on problems in NGO sector and state institutions gathered targeting its efforts for seeking working mechanisms to support vulnerable children and young people. Representatives of supporting the work organization – OAK Foundation, Demetra Association, UNICEF, Association Animus Foundation, Know How Center for Alternative Care for Children, National Network of Children, National Network of Health Mediators, Re-Act Society, Agapedia Foundation, Institute for Social Activities and Practices, a team of BFPA, State Agency for Child Protection and Regional Inspectorate for Education – Sofia took part.

Second meeting with medical specialists and health mediators – this time from Eastern Bulgaria municipalities: Aytos (Chukarka), Peshtera, Karlovo (Rosino and Hristo Danovo), Kotel (Gradetz), Sliven (Sotirya), Tvarditza (Shivachevo) and Straldja (Muglizh) took place on 12 and 13 February 2016 in Stara Zagora. These are a part of populated places on recently started project of Bulgarian Association for Family Planning and Sexual Health (BFPA) „Mission possible: Better sexual and reproductive health for young people from vulnerable communities – ways of overcoming health inequalities”.This, as well last month conducted in Sofia first working meeting with teams by places made clear details of activities on project. Needed obligatory documentation on project, the specific role and obligations of health mediators, terms of implementing were implemented. It was also discussed on possible difficulties of the work with the specific target group.

Prisons without Risk – Education for Inmates on Legal Topics in Stara Zagora

Stara Zagora, 11-12 February 2016

The first two groups of prisoners, trained by BFPA team on legal topics with focus on rights of the client in the frame of the project “Prisons without risk” are from the prison in Stara Zagora. In the frame of the second thematic cycle of the pilot initiative for preventing the spread of blood-transmitted and sexually transmitted infections in three selected Bulgarian prisons the training team worked with the groups on topics connected with rights of access to health care in places of imprisonment. - But how to protect her if I drink 2-3 glasses of brandy?!The impact of alcohol and drugs was distinguished as a factor making easier the transmitting of infections. Arguments were given on why there is no way and no sense to ‘separate’ some groups of people from the others.During the two days inmates discussed on concrete cases and topics connected with the potential risk of infecting in specific environment of the prison, during incidents, as well on rights and possibilities for treatment.

Play and Learn

Sofia, February 9, 2016

Representatives of BFPA received on 9 February 2016 a check for 5700 Canadian Dollars by TELUS International Europe for implementing the project Play and Learn. The event took place at an official ceremony organized by the Public Board of the donor.In the frame of a year BFPA will develop and launch an online test-game for popularizing knowledge, connected with reproductive health, as well will train a group of youth from marginalized communities so that to be able to train peers on the same topics. The main target group for the activities of the project is young people between 12 and 24 years old.

Mission Possible - training for medical specialists

Sofia, January 23-24 2016

A working meeting with medical specialists and health mediators from part of the locations in the frame of the recently started project of BFPA „Mission possible: Better sexual and reproductive health for young people from vulnerable communities – ways of overcoming health inequalities” took place on January 23-24, 2016 in Sofia. Participants were introduced with the requested documentation for implementing the project, with the specific role and obligations of health mediators and timetable of the activities. Possible difficulties and risks on the work field were discussed.

The activities on the initiative will be implementing up to February 2017 in partnership with the National Network of Health Mediators (NNHM) in 14 locations of 13 municipalities from 8 areas in the country. The project is financed by Programme BG 07 “Initiatives for Public Health” of Norway Financial Mechanism trough Ministry of Health.

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What is menstruation, how to recognize Gonorrhea, why it is important to go to the doctor when infection is suspected, what are the changes during the puberty for girls and for boys, is masturbation dangerous, how do the IUD works... These and other questions can answer the teenagers who are keen to gain knowledge on sexuality and reproductive health. There is already access at our internet page to the new funny-educational game of Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA) - ‘Play and Learn’.

Ellie Svetoslavova and Maggie Vasilovska, two of the peer educators of the Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA), represented our country in the institutions of the European Union in Brussels, where EU Fundamental Right Agency (FRA) together with the Maltese Presidency of the EU and the nongovernmental organization Eurochild presented the FRA’s Annual Report 2017.17 children and young people from different European countries participated in the meeting, discussing and questioning topics such as child poverty, social exclusion, migration and child and youth participation. Along with them, as their mentor and supporting person, was Dr. Krasimir Romanov – the coordinator of the BFPA’s branch in Pleven. For the first time children from 9 different countries had the opportunity to participate in that kind of event and to meet and discuss together with MEPs, ministers from different national governments, ombudsmen, members of European Council and international institutions for human rights.

The Annual Meeting of Bulgarian Family Planning and Sexual Health Association (BFPA), the country branches of the organization, its partners, members of the Board and volunteers took place at June 16-18, 2017 in Varshetz. The agenda included review of what has been done, successes and challenges of each one of the participants in his/her work connected with BFPA during the last year. Current and future potential partnerships, perspectives for development and strategies to plan future activities, as well as new developments of current projects and sources of financing.